The actors in The video game industry is on strike. On Thursday, the union representing voice and motion picture performers announced that it would walk off the job after talks with major video game companies broke down over concerns about AI protections. The strike is set to begin Friday.
“We will not accept a contract that allows companies to abuse AI to the detriment of our members,” Fran Drescher, president of the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA), which represents the artists, said in a prepared statement. “Enough is enough. When these companies come up with a serious deal that our members can live—and work—with, we will be here, ready to negotiate.”
Several members of SAG-AFTRA are currently in Comic-Con International in San Diego for conferences and other appearances. They were still able to perform their duties this weekend “due to the strike announcement close to the event running through Sunday.” “Solidarity,” Dragon Age: Guardians of the Veil Voice actress Erika Ishii posted about X. “We’ll do the deal at SDCC but then we’ll keep it.” Hollywood Strike Last Year significantly reduced number of artists that can participate in Comic-Con event.
Tensions over AI between SAG members and major video game companies have been building for months. Talks between the two sides began in earnest in October 2022. Members voted to authorize a strike in September 2023. “Eighteen months of negotiations have shown us that our employers are not interested in fair, equitable AI protections, but instead in blatant exploitation,” Sarah Elmaleh, SAG’s chair of negotiations for the Interactive Media Agreement (IMA), which covers video game workers, said in a statement. “We reject this model—we will not leave any of our members behind, nor will we wait any longer for full protections.”
In the video game industry, actors regularly lend their voices, likenesses, and even movement to projects. Voice acting and motion capture are an important part of the game development process, even as AI begins to take over. changing the way developers create their games. Despite success elsewhere, video game companies and SAG have yet to find common ground on AI.
“We are disappointed that the union has chosen to walk away when we were so close to an agreement, and we remain prepared to continue negotiations,” Audrey Cooling, a spokesperson for the video game companies involved in the negotiations, said in a statement to WIRED. That group includes companies like Activision, Disney, Electronic Arts, Insomniac Games, Take-Two, and Warner Bros., among others.
“We reached consensus on 24 of the 25 proposals, including historic wage increases and additional safety provisions,” Cooling said. “Our proposal directly addresses SAG-AFTRA’s concerns and extends meaningful AI protections including consent and fair compensation to all performers working under the IMA. These provisions are among the strongest in the entertainment industry.”
